India ride into semis with easy win

Led by half-centuries from Rohit Sharma (56) and Virat Kohli (57*), India eased into the semifinals of the ICC World T20 with a comfortable eight wicket win over Bangladesh. India chased down the 1390run target with more than one over to spare

Spinners Amit Mishra and Ravichandran Ashwin shared five wickets as India kept hosts Bangladesh down to 138-7 in a Super-10 match of the World Twenty20 in Dhaka on Friday.
Leg-spinner Mishra, who was man of the match in both the previous games against Pakistan and the West Indies, finished with three for 26 after India elected to field in the group two match.
Off-spinner Ashwin claimed two for 15 as Bangladesh batsmen faltered in front of a sell-out home crowd of 25,000 at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
Opener Anamul Haque top-scored with 44, but it was Mohammad Mahmudullah's unbeaten 32 off 23 balls that boosted the hosts after they were reduced to 82-5.
Mahmudullah, who hit five fours and a six, put on 49 for the sixth wicket with Nasir Hossain.
Bangladesh slipped to 21-3 by the fifth over after Ashwin dismissed Tamim Iqbal and Shamsur Rahman off successive deliveries.
Mishra also claimed two wickets off consecutive balls in the final over, leaving India well-placed to record their third successive win.
With Australia having lost to the West Indies earlier on Friday, a win for India will give them one of the two semi-final spots from the group.
Pakistan and the West Indies are likely to battle for the second spot.

Match blog: India vs Bangladesh, World T20

So that concludes yet another a complete team performance from the Men in Blue. That’s it from us today. Do join us again on Sunday for India’s final group game against Australia. 

Final scores

Bangladesh 138 for 7 | Anamul Haque 44(43), Mahmudulluah 33*(23) | Mishra 3-26, Ashwin 2-15

India 141 for 2 in 18.2 overs | Kohli 57*(50), Sharma 56(44) 

With the form that they’re in, there was just never any doubt. It’s been an all-round, professional performance by India and they’ve deserved this win. It’s the first time they’ve reached the semis since their win in the inaugural World T20.

10:10 pm: And that’s it. Dhoni finishes it off with a cracking six straight down the ground. It’s an absolutely brutal hit again from the skipper as he takes India through to the semi-final. 

10 pm: Some raw power-hitting by Dhoni against Amin. Two brutal sixes bring India closer to the target. Justifying his own promotion here.

9:52 pm: And Dhoni has promoted himself up the order to finish this one quickly. It seems Yuvi is being punished for his sluggishness in the last game.

9:50 pm: 100 partnership between Rohit and Kohli. And Rohit Sharma is out right away. He goes for 56, India 113 for 3.

9:46 pm: Moments later, Virat gets to his fifty. There is just no stopping him at the moment.

9:43 pm: 50 for Rohit. He’s played well today. But Bangladesh haven’t put up a real challenge with the ball in all fairness. Just 35 needed from 36 balls now.